Directives issued for estimating AT&C loss level
Utilities asked to meet Renewable Purchase Obligation targets
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Oct 16: Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC) for Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and Union Territory of Ladakh has directed the Jammu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (JPDCL) and Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL) to submit Action Plan for 100% consumer metering within a period of two months.
Moreover, the Commission has asked the utilities to conduct feeder-wise energy audit and consumer indexing for estimating the Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) loss level and subsequently developing holistic loss reduction plan.
As per the official document available with EXCELSIOR, the JERC has observed that in JPDCL and KPDCL areas, unmetered consumers are present in domestic, commercial and public lighting categories. As far as domestic category is concerned, almost 80% and 40% consumers are still unmetered in KPDCL and JPDCL areas respectively.
“As the licensees have informed that they are in the process of implementing smart pre-paid meters in their areas under Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), the same should be targeted to be implemented in unmetered consumer categories on priority basis”, the Commission has directed, adding “there are few consumers in public street lighting category who are still un-metered as such the licensees should install meters in public street lighting category and convert them into metered category”.
The JERC has directed both JPDCL and KPDCL to submit Action Plan/Roadmap for 100% consumer metering within two months. Further, the Commission has directed the JPDCL and KPDCL to prepare a roadmap for installation of pre-paid smart meters and the details under RDSS should be submitted before the Commission in a time bound manner.
About feeder-wise account of losses and performance of Sub-Divisions, the JERC, after analyzing the feeder metering status, has directed the utilities to conduct feeder-wise energy audit and consumer indexing for estimating the AT&C loss level. “Subsequently, the utilities should identify feeders with high loss levels and develop a holistic loss reduction plan for reducing distribution losses on such feeders”, the Commission has further directed.
“Further, the distribution loss and collection efficiency of the Sub-Divisions for the last one year should be submitted to judge the performance of the Sub-Divisions and while doing so, the rational considered for determining consumption for unmetered consumers should be elaborated”, read the document containing directives of JERC.
Pointing towards energy accounting and determination of loss, the Commission said, “the energy accounting on the basis of energy injected (metered data) into its system should be submitted. Further, energy audit is a necessary activity for the licenses”, adding “to conduct the same, sub-station level and distribution level transformer metering is must as such the utilities are directed to conduct energy audit activity so that distribution loss and voltage wise loss can be decided”.
As JPDCL submitted consumer category wise arrears as on March 31, 2021, the JERC has directed that the impact of Amnesty Scheme 2020 on the arrear should be submitted. “The status of arrear, consumer category wise, should be submitted by the licensees in next petition. Further, quarterly reports on arrears should also be submitted by the utilities”, the Commission stressed.
About consumer billing procedure, the JERC has directed the licensees to review billing related processes, identify current limitations/gaps and areas for improvement and take corrective steps and monitor the implementation of necessary actions at the highest level. “The licensees should produce a status report on billing through MRI/AMR reading to avoid manual interference if implemented”, read the directive.
The Joint Regulatory Commission has further directed the JPDCL and KPDCL to ensure that they meet the Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) targets by initiating timely action for procuring RE power or inviting competitive bids for procurement of solar/non-solar power or alternately purchase RECs.
“They have not submitted any concrete plan for RPO compliance for financial year 2022-23 as such they are directed to submit the same within one month. Further, they should meet the RPO target and any kind of non-compliance will be dealt as per the provisions given in the RPO regulations”, the document containing directives of JERC said.
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